Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Obedience
- Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity. Our true identity comes only from Father.
I’m going to stick with obedience as our focus two days in a
row. Deuteronomy 30 speaks to the idea
of obedience well. As Moses says in the
second half of this chapter, “it is not too hard for you.” That’s really a daunting statement, isn’t it?
Think about this. If we
have God’s Word, should we not be able to rationally decide right from wrong in
every case? Absolutely. We all have logic within us. We all can think rationally. We all can make decisions. God has given us the ability to make the
right decision.
Yet, we know from experience that we do not. We know from experience that we cannot. I might have invested in God’s Word daily for
the last four years, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve been able to stay sin
free. I still have sinful thoughts of
arrogance, pride, lust, anger, etc.
Granted, most of the time I am able to restrict how I follow those thoughts,
but even there I’m not perfect. Do I
still speak in anger? Sure. Do I still look lustfully through my eyes? Of course.
Do I speak proudly from time to time?
Absolutely. Do I focus on my
glory and not God’s glory? Yes.
We have what it takes to obey.
Yet we do not always do so. But I
can say one thing about the cycle of obedience and disobedience. When I am focus on God – that is, getting my
identity from God – I am always obedient.
My disobedience arises when my focus slips away from the Father and my
identity slips away from God’s identity for me.
That’s what repentance is for.
Moses tells us as much in this chapter.
When we slip away, God loves us and wants us to come back to Him. He doesn’t abandon us to our sin. He continues to call us back.
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